Machine for printing on cylindrical surfaces



Aug. 4, 1964 A. w. EXCELL 3,143,061 MACHINE FOR PRINTING ON CYLINDRICAL SURFACES Filed Nov. 15, 1961 United States Patent 3,143,061 MACHENE FDR PRINTING 0N CYLINDRICAL SURFACES Arthur William Excell, London, England, assignor to Rejafix Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Nov. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 152,511 Claims priority, application Great Britain Nov. 24, 1960 Claims. (Cl. 1131-38) This invention relates to rotary printing machines for printing on to the circumferential surfaces of articles, for example glass ampoules or pot electrode insulators, which have a body of cylindrical form or part of which is cylin drical.

According to this invention there is provided a rotary printing machine for printing on a plurality of parts of an elongated article in the form of a solid of revolution which parts have different diameters to each other, comprising roller means mounted for rotation about its axis, means for driving the roller means, pressure roller means for resiilently maintaining the article in rolling contact with the roller means, and a plurality of printing surfaces mounted on the periphery of the roller means at axially spaced and circumferentially staggered locations relative to each other so that printing surfaces for printing on parts having different diameters are in contact with the article at different times to each other, the printing surfaces being aligned with dwell portions of respective cam surfaces on the roller means, each of which dwell portions is adapted for rolling engagement with a part or parts of the article having a diameter equal to the diameter of the part which is to be printed by the associated printing surface.

According to a feature of the invention the printing surfaces are all disposed at a common radius relative to said axis, the idle portions of the roller means being relieved for preventing interference with the operation of the working portions.

According to another feature of the invention the machine comprises a second roller means which is mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the first said axis but the periphery of which is spaced a short distance from the periphery of the first roller means to form a V-space, the article to be printed being disposed in the V-space and being held in rolling contact with the first and second roller means by said pressure roller means, said second roller means having cam surfaces which are respectively aligned with the cam surfaces of the first roller means and which have dwell portions phased to support the article in conjunction with the respective dwell portions on the first roller means, the dwell portions of the second roller means all being disposed at a common radius, and the idle portions of the second roller means being relieved for preventing interference with the operation of the Working portions, and the second roller being driven in timed relationship with and in the same direction as the first roller means at a speed such that the peripheral speed of the dwell portions of the first and second roller means is the same.

Conveniently the first roller means is arranged to print the parts of the article in order of decreasing diameter of those parts.

Either the first or second roller means or both may comprise a built-up assembly of disc cams and drums for carrying the printing surfaces.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows an elevation of a rotary printing machine incorporating the invention,

FIGURE 2 shows a plan View of the rollers of FIG- URE 1,

"ice

FIGURE 3 shows the article which is to be printed on its X and Y diameters,

FIGURES 4 to 7 show individually the main elements of the smaller roller, and

FIGURES 8 to 12 show individually the main elements of the larger roller.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings the machine comprises a body portion 10 provided with driving spindles 11, 12 for small and large rollers 13, 14 respectively. The roller 14 has a maximum diameter which is twice the maximum diameter of roller 13. The two rollers are driven in the same direction, the speed of rotation of the smaller roller 13 being twice that of roller 14 so that the peripheral speeds of the two rollers are the same. The peripheries of the tWo rollers are close to each other but do not touch.

Articles 15 (FIGURE 3) in the form of a solid of revolution have diameters X and Y which are to be printed on are placed in a hopper 16 within which is disposed a conventional gate mechanism for releasing the articles one in each revolution of the large roller at a predetermined time in the rotation of the roller. The released article falls into the V-space between rollers 13, 14 and is resiliently held in position by a presure roller 17 mounted on an arm which is cam-operated in timed relation with the rotation of the larger roller 14.

The roller 14 is made up of a number of coaxial driving discs 18, 20, 21, and drums 19, 22 having printing surfaces thereon, the discs and drums being spaced apart by Washer elements. The said drums 19, 22 are spaced so as to be disposed respectively opposite the diameters X and Y of the article which are to be printed on. The printing surfaces 23, 24, known as stereos, are mounted on drums 19, 22 respectively and are disposed at the same radius as each other. The drum 22 (FIGURES 2 and 12) for printing the part of the article having a diameter X is flanked on each side by a cam disc 21 (FIGURE 11), these two driving discs 21 being arranged to engage the article on its diameter X Whilst the legend on printing surface 24 on drum 22 is printed on diameter X. Similarly drum 19 (FIGURES 2 and 9) is flanked on each side by driving discs 18, 20 (FIGURES 8 and 10) which are of the same diameter and which engage the article on its diameter Y to rotate it whilst the legend on stereo 23 is printed on diameter Y of the article. Those parts of drums and discs 18 to 22 are all of the same radius and it will be clear that when discs 18 and 20 and drum 19 are in contact with the article on its diameter Y, those parts of discs 21 and drum 22 then adjacent the article, ie the idle parts, must be relieved as shown at 25, 26 to prevent interference with the operation of the working parts of discs 18, 20 and drum 19. Each of the components 18 to 22 is provided with a notch 27 to form a hollow on the assembled roller into which the article falls at the end of the printing cycle to drop on to a conveyor 28 as the roller continues its rotation.

The roller 13 is similarly built up from a driving disc 29, a freely rotatable disc 30, a driving disc 31 and a pair of spaced driving discs 32. The driving discs 32 (FIG- URES 2 and 7) are of cam form and are placed in alignment with cam discs 21 of roller 14 to engage and drive the article on its diameter X. The disc 31 (FIGURE 6) is spaced from the discs 32 and is disposed opposite the disc 20 of roller 14 to engage and drive the article on its diameter Y. The freely rotatable disc 30 (FIGURE 5) is mounted on a ball race, the control race ring being clamped to the other discs and to the control spindle by the end nut. Disc 30 cooperates with disc 31 and is disposed opposite disc 18 to engage the article on its diameter Y. Discs 32 are relieved at 32a similarly to discs 21.

Disc 29 has secured to it a segment 33 which is so placed as to engage the article to prevent its tilting during the time in which the article is being lowered from support on diameter X to support on diameter Y. A segment 34 secured to disc 18 is also provided for the same purpose. If space permits, the segments can be replaced by freely rotatable discs of similar radius to the segments.

The discs and drums in FIGURES 4 to 12 are all shown in their correct positions of rotation relative to each other as indicated by the respective datum diameters O of the rollers.

The articles are dropped one at a time into th V-gap between the rollers 13, 14 just after the hollow formed by notches 27 has gone by, the pressure roller 17 being raised by cam means to allow the article to drop.

The printing surfaces 23, 24 are inked in known manner at a station 35 disposed away from the printing station.

Although the above machine prints on only two differ ent diameters, it will be understood that more than two diameters can be printed on by providing additional printing rings and associated cam discs, appropriately staggered round the periphery of the printing roller. It will be appreciated that the relative disposition of the printing surfaces for printing on an article will govern the relative positions of the items of printed matter on the article.

In another arrangement the rollers are designed to print two articles in each revolution of the larger roller. In this case the larger roller has two hollows for discharging printed articles and the sequence of movements of the article is arranged to take only half of the peripheral length of the roller instead of the full peripheral length as in the arrangement illustrated and the profiles of the discs of the smaller roller have to be shaped accordingly.

I claim:

1. A rotary printing machine for printing on a plurality of cylindrical parts of an elongated article in the form of a solid of revolution which parts have different diameters to each other, comprising roller means mounted for rotation about its axis, means for driving the roller means, pressure roller means for resiliently maintaining the article in rolling contact with the roller means, and a plurality of printing surfaces mounted on the periphery of the roller means all disposed at a common radius relative to said axis but at axially spaced and circumferentially staggered locations relative to each other so that printing surfaces for printing on parts having different diameters are in contact with the article at different times to each other, and cam means mounted coaxially with and driven at the same speed as the roller means, which cam means provides dwell portions axially aligned with each respective printing surface, each of the dwell portions having a radius for driving rolling engagement with the'article while the aligned printing surface is printing on the article substantially equal to said common radius, and which cam means has portions thereof relieved for preventing interference with the operation of the dwell portions.

2. A rotary printing machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second cam means which is mounted for rotation about a second axis parallel to the first said axis but the periphery of which is spaced'a short distance from the periphery of the first roller means to form a V-space for the article to be printed, said second cam means having dwell portions phased and axially disposed for supporting the article in conjunction with the respective dwell portions on the first said cam means which dwell portions of the second cam means are all disposed at a common radius relative to the second axis, and the second cam means having idle portions which are relieved for preventing interference with the operation of the dwell portions, and the second cam means being driven in timed relationship with and in the same direction as the first roller means at a speed such that the peripheral speed of the dwell portions of the first and second cam means is the same.

3. A rotary printing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the roller means and cam means comprises a builtup assembly of disc cams and drums for carrying the printing surfaces.

4. A rotary printing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second cam means comprises a built-up assembly of cam discs.

5. A rotary printing machine for printing on a plurality of cylindrical parts of an elongated article in the form of a solid of revolution which parts have different diameters to each other, comprising roller means mounted for rotation about its axis, means for driving the roller means,

pressure roller means for resiliently maintaining the article in rolling contact with the roller means, and a plurality of printing surfaces mounted on the periphery of the roller means at axially spaced and eircumferentially staggered locations relative to each other so that printing surfaces for printing on cylindrical parts of the article having different diameters are in contact with the article at different times to each other, the printing surface at each of said staggered locations having a corresponding cam means disposed coaxially with and driven at the same speed as the roller means, which cam means has a dwell portion axially aligned with, and having substantially the same radius as the printing surface for driving engagement with the article on a radius equal to the radius to be printed on by said printing surface, so that the article is driven by the dwell portions of the cam means successively while the respective printing surfaces are in printing engagement with the respective parts of the article.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein the cam means comprises for each printing surface two cam discs which are similar to each other and which are disposed one on each axial side of the printing surface.

7. A rotary printing mechanism for printing on a plurality of cylindrical parts of an elongated article in the form of a solid of revolution which parts have different diameters to each other, comprising a roller and driving disc means of cam form mounted for rotation at the same speed as each other about the axis of the roller, and pressure roller means for resiliently maintaining the article in rolling contact with said roller, the roller and the driving disc means providing, for each said cylindrical part to be printed on, a corresponding print surface and a corresponding article-driving surface respectively, said article driving surface having a constant-radius portion axially aligned with the printing surface which portion is adapted to be in rolling engagement With the article on a diameter equal to that part of the article at the same time as the printing surface is in contact with that part, and the printing surface and aligned constant-radius driving disc portion associated with each cylindrical part being circumferentially staggered relative to those associated with each other cylindrical part so that only one of the printing surfaces and the constant-radius driving disc portion aligned therewith are in contact with the article at any one time.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE FOR PRINTING ON A PLURALITY OF CYLINDRICAL PARTS OF AN ELONGATED ARTICLE IN THE FORM OF A SOLID OF REVOLUTION WHICH PARTS HAVE DIFFERENT DIAMETERS TO EACH OTHER, COMPRISING ROLLER MEANS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS AXIS, MEANS FOR DRIVING THE ROLLER MEANS, PRESSURE ROLLER MEANS FOR RESILIENTLY MAINTAINING THE ARTICLE IN ROLLING CONTACT WITH THE ROLLER MEANS, AND A PLURALITY OF PRINTING SURFACES MOUNTED ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE ROLLER MEANS ALL DISPOSED AT A COMMON RADIUS RELATIVE TO SAID AXIS BUT AT AXIALLY SPACED AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY STAGGERED LOCATIONS RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER SO THAT PRINTING SURFACES FOR PRINTING ON PARTS HAVING DIFFERENT DIAMETERS ARE IN CONTACT WITH THE ARTICLE AT DIFFERENT TIMES TO EACH OTHER, AND CAM MEANS MOUNTED COAXIALLY WITH AND DRIVEN AT THE 